Captive balloon



July 22 .1924. 1,502,551

M. CORBETT ET AL CAPTIVE BALLOON Filed June 27. 1923 Patented July 22,1924.

UNITED STATES 1,5t2,551 PATENT Fries."

MATT Q. CORIBEIT, WILLIAM E. HUFFMAN, AND CLARENOE F. ADAMS, F DAYTON,

OHIO. i

oAr'rIvn BALLOON.

Application filed June 27, 1923; Serial No. 648.023.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MATT Q. 'Conen'r'r, VVILLIAM E. HUFFMAN, andCLARENCE F'. ADAMS, citizens of the United States, residing at Dayton,in the county of Montgomcry and State of Ohio, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Gaptive Balloons, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to captive balloons.

The broad object of the present invention is to maintain the front ornose of the balloon in a hemispherical contour, irrespective offiuctuationsin the internal pressure of the aerostat.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a captive balloon, anaerostat which will have a kiting action so that it will maintain itsaltitude in air streams of widely varying velocity.

Another object of the invention is t provide an aerostat of stream-lineformation combined with means for preserving such formation of theaerostat irrespective of the expansion and contraction of the gas withwhich the balloon is inflated.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement herein fully described,shown and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved captive balloon.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the aerostat in line with thefore and aft axis thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the automatic pressure reliefvalve.

The improved captive balloon is designed especially for use ingovernment service as an aerial buoy or marker for aircraft or as anelevated datum pointin survey work or in working out problems intriangulation. For commercial work the improved balloon is designed tobe used as a support for various kinds of apparatus, such for example asthat used for spraying or powdering trees I and the like, particularlyinconnection with insect extermination. It may, however, be adapted toother uses when it is feasible or may be found practicable to use as asmall oon attache to an anchor ng rope or cable.

Referring now to the drawings, the in proved captive ballast eiabed saerostat-adapted to be filled with any buoyant gas. The forward or noseportion 5 of the aerostat is hemispherical, while the after portion 6 isconoidal in formation. Thus a streamline formation is imparted to theaerostat, giving the minimum resistance to the air stream while in use.Stabilizing fins 7 and 8 extend longitudinally of the outside of theaerostat to eliminate side swaying of the balloon and one or more tailcups 9 may be arranged in trailing relation to the rear end of theaerostat to assist in holding the latter head to the wind.

Within the aerostat are internal elastic stays 10, any number of whichmay be used according to the size of the balloon. Each of the stays 10is attached at its forward extremity to the inside of the aerostat at apoint 11 along the equatorial line thereof, while the other end portionof the stay has two elastic branches 12 and 13. One of these branchesextends rearwardly and is attached at a point 14 to the rear end part ofthe after portion of the aerostat. The points 14 are arranged in acircular series, leavingwithin such circle a central zone 15 which isadapted to be projected outwardly as inclicated by the line 16 or ispermitted to bulge inwardly as indicated by the line 17 The tendency'ofthe. elastic stays is to draw thezone 15 inwardly as indicated by theline 17. However, asthe gas expands and the in ternal pressureincreases, the elastic stays allow the zone 15 to be pressed outwardlytoward the projectin position indicated by 551-? the line 16. Theconstruction just described provides an aerostat of variable capacity.

The other branches 13 of the internal elastic stays 10 are fastened tothe casing 18 of a pressure relief valve 19, controlling an outletpassage 20 in the valve casing and normally held closed with apredetermined pressure by means of a spring 21 encircling the stem ofthe valve between the valve casing and a stop or annular shoulder 22 onthe inner end of the valve stem. The branches 13 which are elastic,assist the other branches 12in controlling the flexure of the zone 15and maintain the rear part of the aerostat in symmetrical form asclearly indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The captive rigging 23 to which the anchoring rope or cable 24 isattached, is shown as independent of the load rigging 25 which carriesthe load ind a ed at 26 h -Wo riggings 23 and 25 may however, becombined if so desired. The inflation sleeve 27 is tied with an elasticcord 28 of such strength and under such tension as to act as anautomatic relief for the internal pressure in the aerostat to keep thesame from bursting under abnormal conditions.

When the balloon is filled or inflated, only enough gas is introduced toinflateor fill out the head or nose section and the after section 6, therear par-t of which isleft partially collapsed or bulged inwardly by theaction of the elastic stays and their branches 12 and 13. There is thusprovided a flexible or variable capacity and the rear end portion of theaerostat may expand and contract with the expansion and contractionofthe gas inthe entire balloon, and therefore keep the nose orhead'of'theballoon at all times from cupping due to Wind pressure' Thiscupping action of the Wind, together with the'fact that an ordinaryspherical balloon does not give a kiting effect, is the chief cause oftrouble in keeping such a balloon from being blown to the ground whenheld captive by a suitable anchoring rope or cable.

We claim:

1; A captive balloon embodying a variable 'ca acit aerostat havin ahemis herical nose portion a conoidal after portion, and internalelastic stays attached to the rear part of said after portion andserving to flex said rear'part inwardly to vary the cubicalinternalcapacity. V I

2. A captive balloon embodying a vari able capacity aerostat having ahemispherical nose portion, a conoidal after portion, and internalelastic stays attached to the rear part of: said after portion andserving to flex said rear part inwardly to vary the cubical internalcapacity while maintaining the streamline form of the aerostat.

3. A captive balloon embodying a variable capacityv aerostat having ahemispherical nose portion, a. conoidal after portion, and

ternal pressure.

internal elastic stays extending in a fore 'andaft direction andattached to the rear part of said after portion and serving to flex saidrearpart inwardly to vary the cubical internalcapacity.

4. A captive balloon embodying a variable capacity aerostat having ahemispherical nose portion, a conoidal after portion, and internalelastic'stays attached to the rear part of said after portion andserving to flex said rear part inwardly to vary the cubical internalcapacity, said stays being attached at their forward extremities to theinside oi the aerostat adjacent to the equatorial line of thenoseportion.

5. A captive balloon embodyinga variable capacity aerostat having ahemispherical nose portion, a conoidal-after portion, and internalelastic stays attached to the rearpart of said after portion at pointsranging in a circle around the longitudinal axis of the aerostat.

6. A captive balloon embodying a variablecapacity aerostat having ahemispheri cal nose portion, a conoidal after portion, an automaticpressure relief valve in the center of the rear endot said afterportion, and internal elastic stays extending in a fore and aftdirection andhaving branches, one of which is attached to saidvalve andanother of which is attached to the rear part of said aftersection.

7. 'A captive balloon embodying a variable capacity aerostat havinga'hemispherical nose portion, a conoidal after portion, and internalelastic means operable on the rear end part of said after section toflex said part from an outwardly projecting position to an inwardlybulging or reentrant' position to compensate for variation in in- Intestimony whereof We affix our signatures.

MATT Q. OORBETT. WILLIAM E. HUFFMAN. CLARENCE F. ADAMS.

